Leaders of faith communities are invited to initiate an intergenerational dialogue about war and peace-making by preaching a sermon or holding a meeting/discussion during the Season of Nonviolence, and by encouraging families to attend the play “Peace Crimes: the Minnesota 8 vs. the war” which serves as a source for discussing how war/peace issues were “back then” and how they are “now.” See, www.pwh-mn.org and the right menu for “Intergenerational Dialogue. Performances run February 22 – March 9, 2008 are at the UMn’s Rarig Center, but tickets are purchased from the History Theatre

In 1970 Minnesota experienced the largest draft raid in American history, where over 54 draft boards - centralized in St.Paul and Minneapolis post offices - were raided and ten-thousand-plus “1A” files destroyed. Several raiders were later arrested during another raid. These were the “Minnesota 8.” (See, www.pwh.mn then “About PWH” and then “The Minnesota 8.” At their trial thirteen witnesses testified. Historians, scientists, draft resisters, nonviolent activists, political economists, national journalist, a former high ranking government official (Daniel Ellsberg of “Pentagon Papers” fame), and four Christian theologians. They argued a “Defense of Necessity.” They claimed a Higher Allegiance. They responded to two moral challenges. One papal; the other from the battlefield.
“Since the right to command is required by the moral order and has its source in God, it follows that, if civil authorities legislate for or allow anything that is contrary to the will of God, neither the laws made nor the authorizations granted can be binding on the consciences of the citizens, since we must obey God rather than men. Otherwise, authority breaks down completely and results in shameful abuse.”

Pope John XXIII, Pacem in Terris, Part II, par. 51.
“In dealing with myself, coming back and thinking I was right. And thinking that the things I had done were right because it was what I had been taught in boot camp, and then viewing it from the other side, instead of a gook, it was a human being. Instead of a hootch, it was a home. That really socked it to my head. It really blew my mind. Because I have never thought of a hootch being a home, it was an old grass hootch. And they were peasants, they weren’t people.”

Gordy Nielsen, VN Veteran at the trial of the Minnesota 8
A series of campus-based events are planned for the U of M, Augsburg, Macalester, St. Catherine’s, Metro State, and UW-River Falls. (See, www.pwh-mn.org then “Public Events” then “Overview.”) Others are in the works for St. Johns, St. Olaf, St. Cloud State and St. Thomas.

The Minnesota 8’s trial testimony told the story of young people morally and politically “resisting illegitimate authority,” and the play is as much about today as it is about the Sixties. Consider attending the play and then have your community or organization discuss its own moral stance about “resisting illegitimate authority.” Invite one of the 8 to your discussion. One or more of the Minnesota 8 will meet with the audience after each performance.